huge chocolate on the nose. i thought i was smelling a milk chocolate bar at first. taste brings more chocolate, and some dark fruit. mostly cherries but some berries in there too. this beer really tastes like a cherry blossom dunked in coffee. is not bad at all. if you like a refreshing stout with massive chocolate, this is for you. i would buy it again, and have it as a dessert beer.

A - near pitch black with just a bit of light getting though the bottom, thumb of tan head retained at half a finger with respectable wispy lacingS - milk chocolate, syrup, hint of vanilla, and a light smoky qualityT - a very sweet milky chocolate flavour with a kick of vanilla, light roastiness and mild coffee, and a syrupy sweet finishM - leaning towards chewy, definitely coats the mouth fully, just a touch of cocoa drynessO - a very legit big chocolate brew from Granville, happy to see them stepping up the limited releases over the last year, and this is the best of the bunch thus far

A- Well this certainly looks the part! Used motor oil black is the color with root beer hues when looking through the top of the liquid in the light. The head is a deep caramel color and appears to be quite dense....it settles into a thin finely bubbled layer. The lacing is superb, with a solid layer of foam that clings to the glass.

S- This smells completely of any number of chocolate desserts! There is a richly aromatic aroma of fresh cocoa, dairy like chocolate milk, prepared bittersweet chocolate bar, or even a chocolate coffee cake! There is a nuttiness, like burnt almond and/or candied pecans, plus a hint of un-ground coffee bean. There is also a very mellow hint of bitter hop cones right on the finish as well....very nice and sweet overall!

T- The flavors closely follow the aromas to a tee! Rich dark chocolate dominates the palate with some of the aforementioned earthy nut flavor and very toasty barley malt. The alcohol is noticeable but is so smooth that it does not overpower at any time! It is almost as if this beer has been infused with fresh dairy cream! The finish is a drying, yet slightly bitter leafy Earthiness....a very well balanced brew, if not slightly too sweet....this could be toned back just ever so slightly, but nothing to get worried about....I think GIB intended for this to taste as it does!

M- Full bodied, as a proper stout should be, this totally reminds me of enjoying a beer version of chocolate pudding....it's that creamy and is near the sweetness of that particular dessert! The carbonation is very fine and does not intrude on the palate in the slightest. As mentioned before, the alcohol is there, but has very little bite, and that's hard to accomplish, considering this is a beer of 8.4% alcohol/vol. Right after the swallow, there is a warming sensation in my throat that reminds me of the alcohol. Overall, this is about as nice as a stout can feel on the palate!

O- This is a highly drinkable brew that gets better with every drink and a bomber is rather easy to go through without even noticing....that's how good this is! I would put this in the top 2 of GIB product that I've tried....right in line with Lion's Winter Ale in terms of quality! Pick this one up while you can....I will purchase another one from my local beer store that is carrying this!

Everything that was on the nose bursts onto the palate with chocolate being the big leader. I couldnt smell any coffee on the nose, but there is definitely some in the taste. The chocolate taste is like semi-sweet chocolate shavings or chocolate chips.

Quite carbonated to make the mouthfeel a little sharp, but there is a layer of smoothness right in the middle. There is also some bitterness that stays on the tongue like an espresso shot. The higher alcohol content creates a warming feeling as the beer is swallowed.

650ml bottle. Nice to see this limited release in 'general' availability in Alberta now, rather than just as a singular seasonal gift to liquor store management.

This beer pours a very deep, dark cola hue, with brassy basal highlights, and two beefy fingers of loosely foamy beige head, which leaves some nice randomly craggy vistas of mountain-scape lace around the glass as it settles rather quickly.

It smells of sharp cocoa nibs up front, milky and earthy all, some chocolate-heavy bready caramel malt, subtle toffee pudding, innocuous fleshy black fruit, a twinge of warming alcohol, and very tame earthy, leafy hops. The taste is more edgy chocolate, of the forgotten brandy-infused, and too-long forgotten on the shelves box of bonbons ilk, mildly toasted bready malt, a touch of Toffifay, slight tones of molasses and brown sugar, and some well-understated weedy, musty hops.

The bubbles are pretty laid back, to the point of stupor, the body an adequate medium weight, and duly, truly, and softly smooth. It finishes on the sweet side, the cocoa still large and in charge, a slightly astringent vegetal character sort of blending into a waxing booziness.

A pretty decent chocolate stout, especially if you like the, well, chocolate, duh, which is generally kept within its pompous, but reasonable limits by a cadre of secondary players, chief among them a lilting vegetal undergrowth, and properly stifled alcohol. Sweet, but not, and then sweet again, and so on. Worthy enough of a go, as a dessert accompaniment/enhancer, at the very least.

A - Dark cola color during the pour, and jet black in the glass. Modest creamy beige head sits atop, though a little light for an imperial stout. Spotty chunks of lacing trail behind the soapy film left after a few minutes.

S - Initially I was underwhelmed, but after a few minutes the nose opens up big time. Tons of chocolate! I'm getting lots of chocolate malt, along with cocoa nibs and lots of other sweet notes. This is also the first time I can say I've detected chocolate milk clearly in a beer, which has me surprised as well. Subtle booze, along with mild roasted malt and a ton of toffee sweetness. No real hop presence, this brew is all sweet, sweet malts; smells like chocolate cake in a glass.

T - After such an intriguing nose, the profile is a bit of a let down. The chocolate while still present, is much more mild in the taste, and it seems to lack real complexity or balance. Roasted malt is mild, toffee is still there too. It's overly sweet, but I wouldn't call it cloying. The alcohol content despite only clocking in at 8.40% ABV comes barreling down on the palate, with it's unpleasant presence lasting into the finish. Mild vanilla and molasses coming through as well, but not in a way that adds much dimension to the brew.

M - Low carbonation, smooth but not quite velvety on the palate. Heat in the finish from the alcohol, somehow showing through. Fitting of the style, though unspectacular altogether.

D - When I stuck my nose into the glass and took a whiff of what could only be described as chocolate cake, I was ready to turn the page on Granville Island Brewing, having tried virtually all their regular offerings. And while this specialty brew from Granville definitely has some character their regulars don't, it simply falls short in the end.

Poured from a 650ml bottle. Pours a surprisingly (light) deep brown with red tints around the edge with a thin light brown head. Smells like a chocolate shop: tons of vanilla bean and chocolate aromas. The taste is sweet and in addition to the sizable chocolate and vanilla presence there is a sarsaparilla spice and flavours of toasted marshmallow. Bitter finish. The mouthfeel is surprisingly light, however. Feels like this beer needs more body.

650 ml bottle that I found at the BCLS, when I was looking for something special. Label lists 8.4% alc/vol"2011 Limited Release. Our Limited Release beerscobine innovative brewing with all-natural ingredients. Created locally at our small-batch brewery on Granville Island for all those who appreciate unique, extraordinary beer.This beer is rich and warming for cold winter nights. It's brewed with four different malts, hops from the Pacific Northwest and Organic Fair Trade chocolate from Roger's Chocolates. Flavours and aromas of roast malt, cocoa, coffee and dried fruit, combined with a mellow bitterness and rich dark chocolate colour make it perfect for toasting the season. Ingredients include: cocoa, chocolate essence & cocoa nibs."

Dark brown, basically black, ruby hilights. Off white foam, quickly fading foam, no lace. Chocolate smell really comes out, quite sweet and sugary aroma.Good stout base, with cocoa / chocolate coming through. Sweetish, but not overly done - not nearly as sweet or cloying as the initial smells indicated. Mouthfeel and body are a bit thinner than expected from a stout, some warmth from the alcohol at the end.Overall, pretty good - a nice find.